Daily Republican., 1887-12-24
THE LOVERS CAVE,
BY ]. 8 WILSON.

High up in the towering and frown-
ing cliffs that border the Kentucky
river is triangular aperture, formed
by two huge pieces OF rock falling to-
gether in some distant age. Directly
in front of this opening is a broad and
iutting portion OF the cliff, making a
perfect platform. Access to the cave
at this day is impossible, but it is said
that narrow paGh once led to it. This
peculiar hole in the rocks is called the
Lovers Cave" and dark legend is
connected with it.
Long years ago there dwelt in the
most favored section of the Blue Grass
region of Kentucky, portion of the
once mighty tribe of Shawnee Indians,
ruled over by an aged chiettsin, whose
deeds of bloody valor were admired
and emulated by all tribes both far and
near.
The apple of his eye, the light OF
his lodge and the pride of his heart,
was his daughter. most beautiful
girl, with form as graceful as sway
ing reed, step of airy lightness, eyes
like stars, and great shower OF raven
hair. The old chief worshipped her;
and the young braves. though they
burned with love and admiration for
the girl, dared not approach her for
fear of incurring her fathers lisplea-
sure.
Fortunately for Sunlight, she was as
yet heart whole and fancy-free. But
one bright day in early springtime,
when the birds sang joyously in the
budding trae.tops, and the star-eyed
daisies blOomed on the sunny hillsides,
all was changed for the dusky maiden,
and no longer could she call her heart
her own. A young pale-face saved her
from a panther, and she fell deeply in
love with her rescuer.
Philip Percy was handsome outh,
brave as lion and true as steel. His
heart responded fully to the call of that
of the Indian girl Their meetings
we're many, and, never hoping to gain
the consent of the old chief 10 their
union, they decided to fly over the
mountains TO the white lovers home
in Virginia.
So one night, when the moon rode
lerenely In the heavens, and the
whippoorwill whistled clear and strong
in the scented thickets, they mounted
fleet horses and fled.
But, alas! when the day dswncd,
and the sun swung up from behind the
eastern hills like huge ball of fire,
they saw !ar away a moving body Of
horsemen. Their hearts grew cold
and sick at the sight, for they well
knew the old chief was in pursuit.
With horses almost spent, and in
evitable death awaiting them If cap
tured, the mind OF Philip Percy at
once reverted to cave, now not far
away. that had served him as a place
of safety on many fishing and hunt
ing expedition. Their horses were
abandoned, and, after tortuous as
cent, the refuge was gained.
Hope once more spread her white
wings over the pair, and softly they
smiled between themselves But the
rapidly advancing Indians were not
deceived. Their keen eyes had de-
tected the lovers as they assembled the,
precipitous sides of the cliff. With a
yell of triumph the pursuing band
swooped down among the rocks. he
lovers knew that only one person at a
time could ascend the narrow path.
By concealing himself behind pro-
jecting boulder, Percy thought that he
could shoot the savages one by one
as they came up the cliff; but in this
he was disappointed, for the willy saw
ages were not long in seeing the diff
Guilty They gathered together, and
consultation was held, and it was soon
evident that other measures had been
adopted A huge fire was made to
blaze in the rocks below, and the In
dians, like so many grim Statues
ranged themselves around it.
The lovers looking downward from
their rock fastncss, instinctively knew
the result of the consultation was 10
doom them TO some awful death. Nor
were they kept very long in ignorance
OF their fate.
As the shades of night were slowly
falling over hill and valley, Wsukesha,
the father of Sunlight, separated MN
self from his groop of ollowers, TOOK
nosition on an elevated rock, and look
ing inward to where his daughter and
her lover were standing, told what